


With A Handful of Courage

by alphatoothless



Category: Gravity Falls, Reverse Falls - Fandom
Genre: A!RF, Alternate Universe - Reverse Falls (Gravity Falls), Fluff, M/M, Willdip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-05 03:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20482181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphatoothless/pseuds/alphatoothless
Summary: And, unexpectedly, Dipper finds himself in a game he’d never thought he’d ever be the disadvantaged one in. Always being the metaphorical cat, he finds himself as a mouse, a simple toy in the demon’s flirtatious game. It’s all the same moves he’s done before - but now it was he who was the lovesick one, and he finds that he’s genuinely afraid of the outcome. Yet, despite this, he plays along anyway.





	With A Handful of Courage

**Author's Note:**

> Chasing the clock, will I see you again?   
(Oh, oh, we’ll see tonight)  
If it’s perfect now, let’s be perfect again.

He watched the way the demon moves, a steady and smooth flow of motions as he cleans the entire manor with ease. He does it so comfortably, like he was born to do it, and it leaves him entranced. He likes watching blue flames engulf brooms and washcloths, the gentle sway of mops across the floor and the flickering of dusters on the paintings in the hallway. 

But what he likes watching, most of all, is the demon who proudly walks down the hallway to examine his work. The way the demon puffs his chest out in pride when he sees himself in the floor’s reflection, the grin when he runs a finger on the side of a painting with no dust, the way he inhales deeply because the entire manor smells crisp. 

Dipper Gleeful, unexpectedly, finds himself falling hard for the very demon he’d captured and he has no idea how to stop it. 

He doesn’t know when the crush ran off the tracks into full blown feelings, leading him to stare at papers on his desk aimlessly whenever his thoughts floated the demon walking past his office. And as much as he tries to think, maybe, that he could get rid of them, his heart pounds excitedly when that soft smile spreads across the demon’s face - though it’s never directed at him, and that stabs him right through the chest. As if his own daggers had suddenly betrayed him, he rubs his chest in absence. 

Granted, William Cipher didn’t smile at any of the Gleeful family members. Perhaps it was out of fear, but Dipper yearned to have that gentle, fang-filled smile directed toward him. 

That’s, strangely, how he found himself standing in the hallway as Will walked away, unknowingly, as he admired his work once again. Dipper had nothing to say, had nothing practiced or rehearsed, but he stood there anyway. A million scenarios played through his head - of pressing Will against one of those immaculate walls and kissing him softly, of intertwining their hands and watching the demon become breathless, of Will looking at him in the same way Dipper felt. 

But Dipper was afraid. It’s not that he didn’t have the charm or the experience, nor was it that he didn’t know what he was doing, but when it came to Will, it didn’t come naturally. It wasn’t a means for an advantage. It wasn’t for manipulation purposes. It wasn’t for a cruel personal gain. 

No, it was a genuine, heart-pounding want and Dipper knew he’d be genuinely crushed if the demon didn’t return these feelings. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself, especially not to Will, but he also knew nothing of what Will’s feelings were for him - and that made the entire experience even more frightening. Girls had always been easy for him, all succumbing to his charm and doing whatever he’d asked - without a single touch or promise, but Will was different. Dipper didn’t want to use Will - he wanted to keep him. 

When that same demon turns to look at him curiously, that smile faded into its neutral tendencies, Dipper feels himself swallow hard. Will doesn’t look scared, more interested in what Dipper has to say, and the human found himself tripping over his words before he even opened his mouth. 

“Master?” Will blinks with that one eye, that one soft blue eye that leaves Dipper weak. 

“William, I...” Dipper clears his throat before gesturing to the spot of floor next to him. “You missed a spot.” 

Will glances down in curiosity, having known fully there was no imperfection. Instead of printing it out, Dipper watched the demon walk closer without meting his eyes, instead honed on the spot. A cloth appears in the demon’s gloved hands before Will is leaning down to clean the spot by hand. Dipper just watched with a hard blush, never having the demon stand so close before. When Will was satisfied, he stands, looking at Dipper curiously - awaiting to be dismissed. 

“You, uh, missed another spot.” Dipper hesitates before he points at the floor right in front of him. 

Will looks at him, that curiosity seeming more playful now, before he humors the human and bends down, cleaning the spot. It’s all already immaculate, but he stands after cleaning, carefully invading Dipper’s space. Dipper feels that blush run over his ears and down his neck, but he watches Will’s eye flicker to the extent of his blush before meeting his eyes once again. 

“I believe I’ve missed another, master.” 

Dipper’s entire body trembles when Will steps closer. He’s invading his space then and Dipper tries desperately to hide the trembling in his stance. He reminds himself, over and over, that he’s the master. That he’s in charge. That he’s - that he’s madly in love. 

Dipper watched the demon lean in slowly and he can smell that crisp clean smell on Will’s clothes - the same that fills the air of the manor. He can see the minute details of the demon’s face, the way that single eye’s pupil seemed almost slitted, the way the eyepatch seemed to glisten in the soft manor lighting, the way Will’s hair seemed so soft and wispy. 

How soft Will’s lips looked. 

Dipper finds himself stumbling back against a wall as the demon follows, invading his space impressively. He clamps his mouth shut before he begins to stammer - much like those he’d trapped before when he’d been far more in charge, and far less romantically interested. Now, though, he can feel his heart slam against his rib cage and his pulse rings in his ears as Will leans in close. Their noses are just close enough to brush against each other, and Dipper glances down at those soft lips before meeting the demon’s eye once again. Will seems to notice this as well before he raises a hand slowly.

Dipper can see the hand rest against his head in his peripheral, instead focused on the way Will’s eye seems to glow in the light shadow of his profile. It leaves Dipper breathless before Will moves his hand, rubbing the side of the wall before pulling away. 

Dipper is able to breathe as the demon hums in satisfaction, looking around the hallway before continuing back to where he’d been earlier. As if nothing had happened at all. A part of him grows in a gross mixture of excitement and disappointment when he replays the memory in his head over and over again. Will just continues walking down the hallway, nonchalantly examining his work. 

But Dipper watches the demon turn slightly to look at him from his peripheral before he can barely make out Will’s smile from the corner of his face. The demon turns away again before turning the corner down a different hallway. Dipper’s positive his heart won’t stop racing anytime soon. 

And, unexpectedly, Dipper finds himself in a game he’d never thought he’d ever be the disadvantaged one in. Always being the metaphorical cat, he finds himself as a mouse, a simple toy in the demon’s flirtatious game. It’s all the same moves he’s done before - but now it was he who was the lovesick one, and he finds that he’s genuinely afraid of the outcome. Yet, despite this, he plays along anyway. 

He still blushes brightly when gloved fingers brush against the inside of his wrist when the demon takes his plate away at meals. Sometimes the demon stands a little close when he’s at his desk, leaning over him with his chest just a short enough distance from Dipper’s back that it leaves the human hopeful - right before Will disappears once again. He certainly doesn’t miss the way the demon’s looks are sometimes predatorial when Dipper is alone in the library and Will happens to be sorting the books. And the human would never admit how much those looks affect his now very-active imagination. 

Sometimes it makes it hard to get out of bed - that excitement with the same feeling of impending doom leaves him tired. He likes the game, mainly because he enjoys Will’s attention, but his mind weighs his heart down when he thinks about the endgame. He doesn’t know if this is just the demon’s mischievous nature - an advantage that he’d willingly offered the demon over him just to be used later. Dipper doesn’t want to be hurt and now he knows just how his own victims had felt all these years. 

He doesn’t know how they stayed loyal despite their heartbreaks, but he finds that he might be on the very same train very soon. 

It’s not until Dipper leaves the house, his usual disdain for being outside overlooked as he walks down a worn dirt path to let his mind wander. He avoids obvious mud and ducks under wiry branches, thankful for the cool autumn night air as he lets his mind replay every memory the demon had wiggled his way into. He even lets his imagination wander with that hopefulness that Will returned his feelings. 

He likes to think Will’s hands would be warm in his own. He likes to think their first kiss would be romantic - maybe in the library at night, the fireplace flickering beside them and the smell of books around them making the air cozy. Sometimes, when Dipper was a little more brave, he likes to think about what Will would feel like in his bed. Would his skin be soft? Would his weight be comforting against him? Would his whimpers be as soft as his smile? 

Dipper finds himself at an old, fallen tree in the middle of an illuminated meadow. It brings back old memories of when he’d first learned of his abilities. And then when he’d first summoned the demon just a little over a year ago. 

How strange had it been, that he’d originally, secretly, summoned the demon for companionship. Of course, when Will had appeared, he’d said nothing of this because he could easily obtain a companion - plenty of victims in town would be more than thrilled at the chance of dating him. But Will, well, he’d changed everything. 

Dipper hadn’t even fancied himself as gay until he’d met Will. And that - that was what truly shook the human to his core. 

He finds himself sitting on the rotting log, just where the bark remained intact and hard. He looks up at the sky absently, wondering how everything would play out in the future. He thinks of his future - of a future with Will. He can’t keep the demon hostage forever, he knew that the moment he’d captured him. But Mabel relied on the demon’s magic - though, he supposed she could rely on Dipper’s if he’d finished his research. Dipper supposed they could also hire a maid, though he doubts anyone would do as fantastic a job as Will. 

But Dipper knows he’s going to have to let Will go one day, and the part of him he tries to shove deep down reminds him that Will just might leave and never return. 

That part makes his chest ache and he rests a ringed hand over it, rubbing his sternum slowly and soothingly over his Oxford shirt. He knows he has everything he could ever want - but the one thing he yearned for, the one person he truly yearned for, was just out of reach. He hopes, truly, that Will’s game isn’t just to tease him, but held some form of genuineness behind it. Then again, even for a psychic, Dipper never really was all that great at reading the demon’s mind. 

When he returns, Will awaits him at the door. Dipper looks at him simply as he walks up hardwood steps to the porch. 

“You didn’t tell anyone you were going out.” The demon’s voice is soft, but it holds an undertone to it that leaves Dipper curious. 

“I just went for a little walk.” Dipper replies smoothly. He doesn’t miss the way Will just watches him walk past, making his way up rug-covered stairs. He heard Will’s footsteps behind him.

“Do you need assistance with anything, sir?” 

“No, but thank you, William.” Dipper’s too tired to play the game tonight. His heart aches and his head hurts from his own overwhelming thoughts, so he resolved to turn in early. 

Will isn’t so swayed, following him down the hallway and to his room. Dipper ties to look at the demon when they reach his bedroom door, a single eyebrow raised in curiosity. 

“William?”

“Master.”

“Is there something that you need?” Dipper watched the demon look him up and down for a moment before meeting his eyes again. 

“You just don’t seem yourself tonight. I’m just ensuring you weren’t unwell.” 

“I’m fine.” Dipper opens his door and walks in, not entirely surprised to hear Will follow him inside before closing the door behind them. 

Dipper just lays down on his bed, pressing the palms of his hands against his forehead. He just wants his head to stop throbbing. He supposed he could always busy the demon with fetching him some medicine, but he remains where he is instead. 

When he feels the bed dip beside him, he doesn’t look. He keeps his eyes shut and his body relaxed, even as a comfortable weight presses against his body - as if Will were leaning over him. He tried not to focus on his headache as he moves his hands to look at Will above him. The demon gently presses the tips of gloves fingers against the side of his forehead and that headache soothes into a gentle ache. Dipper sighs in relief, but his mind reels with Will over him. He feels too tired to let his mind go wild, instead looking at the demon with a tired expression. 

“Master, why won’t you ever tell me when you’re suffering?” 

“It’s just a headache, Will.” 

“I wasn’t referring only to the headache, sir.” 

Dipper tries not to focus too hard on that soft eye or the way the demon’s expression is so unbelievably soft that it leaves him almost breathless. For a moment, he forgets all about the possibilities this isn’t real and he finds himself leaning forward before he can even think about it. His lips meet the demon’s, and his mind memorized the way Will squeaks softly over him before those lips press against his own. Dipper hums softly into the kiss, his body relaxing as Will’s hands move cup his face. Dipper is sure this is a dream then, a dream he really hopes won’t end anytime soon. 

When Will pulls back, Dipper blinks up at him. His whole body vibrates with an excitement he’s never felt before and he can see the demon study him in silence. He thinks if this is the end, he’ll at least have this. Instead, Will shifts to straddle him then, leaning forward again to kiss him once more. Dipper’s eyes flutter shut when Will’s lips meet his again, and his heart feels unbelievably full. Dipper can only gently grasp the demon’s wrists and keep him close. Their chests are touching and Dipper is now sure this is far better than the first kiss he created in his mind. 

Will pulls back a second time and Dipper can only look up at him. It feels surreal and Dipper can feel nothing but that warming love for the other in that moment. He hopes this isn’t part of the demon’s game, because he’s more than willing to lose if it means he can have this forever. 

“Well, it certainly took you long enough.” Will whispers between them. “And here I thought I couldn’t make it any more obvious for you, sir.” 

“It would appear you’ve fallen for a fool, then.” Dipper watches Will smile that bright, soft smile and his whole body melts. That beautiful smile is directed toward him and all he can do is memorize this moment - burn it into his mind so he never forgets it for as long as he exists. 

“The very fool who was too afraid to act on his own feelings, yes.” Will smirks playfully at him. 

Dipper smiles back before he holds Will’s face with one of his hands. He’s selfish and he’s greedy, because all he wants is for this night to last forever with Will kissing him. He’s back to kissing the other again, because his heart is full and his mind is happy. He’s happy because Will’s hands are as warm as he thought they’d be, and his kiss is softer than he imagined, and his weight against him is far more comforting than he could have ever dreamed. 

It’s like an addiction, and he never wants the night to end.

**Author's Note:**

> Tonight (Young Hearts) by The Colourist


End file.
